


We Are Young (so let’s set the world on fire)

by strongerangels



Category: The Walking Dead
Genre: Carl Grimes Lives, F/M, Inspired by The Walking Dead, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:27:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strongerangels/pseuds/strongerangels
Summary: AU where Carl survives the ASZ v. Savior war and gets to reunite with Enid at Hilltop- but not everything is as peachy as it seems.—-I wanted to write this because they deserved to end up together, screw this stupid zombie showtitle is named after the song “We Are Young” by Fun
Relationships: Carl Grimes & Michonne, Carl Grimes & Rick Grimes, Carl Grimes/Enid, Carl/Enid, Enid/Aaron (TheWalkingDead), Maggie Rhee & Enid
Comments: 5
Kudos: 9





	1. chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carl fights against the saviors in attempt to save his family and his home- but he’s not as invincible as he thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Such a short chapter but I just needed something to get me going. I want this story to last up til the end of season nine or something, but IDK how much inspiration I’m gonna have so ...

“I thought we were having a moment, asshole!” 

Negan’s words rang in Carl’s ears as he clambered to his feet. 

Boom

He jerked his head to the direction of the sound. They were bombing the place. They were bombing his home. Carl stared briefly at the gash on his leg, trying to push the thought of it to the back of his mind. He couldn’t get distracted- he had a job to fulfill. 

He threw on his bag and began down the street, throwing smoke bombs in the grass. He had to make it look like they escaped. The sound of the gates being pulled open and (what felt like) infinite bullets being shot into the air filled his ears. 

He was tired, angry, hurt from the fall- but most importantly he was stubborn. Carl wasn’t about to let the Saviors win without a fight. 

He looked around. Saviors were running around, throwing grenades into the houses, and even the church. He looked to his right. The gazebo was on fire. He used to sit on the roof. He was up there with Enid one time. Enid. The thought of her in this moment stung him. He hadn’t seen her since they went to Oceanside. She seemed to had been wanting to say something, but never fully got it off her chest. She-

BANG!

The loud sound of a nearby gunshot ripped Carl from his thoughts, and he looked straight up, where a Savior was coming towards him. Something wasn’t right. Everything was moving back, and suddenly his feet weren’t on the ground anymore. Then he felt the pain in his chest. He groaned in agony as the bullet lodged itself deeper into his lung, causing blood to spurt out of his mouth. The metallic taste was all he could think about- all he wanted to think about to distract him from the searing pain.

His eye fogged up with fatigue, his mind felt cloudy and his body felt like Jell-O. He laid there in the grass, weakly coughing and slowly choking on his own blood. 

How had this happened? he thought. How did he manage to get here? After everything? Who would save Alexandria now? Who would save him? Everyone else was probably gone by now if they had followed the plan. The only person left was Siddiq, who Carl had promised to get back to once this was all over. 

Carl tried to move his weakened body, slightly lifting himself up. For a moment all he could see was red. Blood, soaking the front of his shirt. Pain struck him, making his whole body ache and tears weld up in his eye. He softly cried out, body collapsing against the ground again. He was gonna die. Convinced himself of it. 

There were muffled voices coming from... somewhere. He couldn’t quite pinpoint where. He wanted to call out to them, but when he tried his throat clogged with blood and refrained him from speaking. 

Suddenly there were arms around him, pulling him up. 

“C’mon kid,” a voice rang. It sounded like it was underwater. He certainly felt like he was drowning.  
As abruptly as the person grabbed him, the pain set in again and Carl’s senses seem to come back to him. 

“Daryl,” he groaned, the action forcing more blood to spill from his mouth. 

“I gotcha, don’ worry,” Daryl reassured, trying not to let the panic be audible. When he saw the kid get shot, his mind immediately went back to the farm. Carl had almost died, and Daryl would be damned if he let it happen again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is definitely on the short side, but I didn’t really know where to start the story. Next chapter is gonna take place when everyone is trying to escape.


	2. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IDK if Dr Carson is still at Hilltop at this point in the show, and a lot of little things like that are probably not going to be accurate because I stopped watching but... I tried LOL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also this chapter is close to 2k words, so it’s definitely longer than last chapter LOL

“What the hell happened?”

“...Hilltop...?” 

“Will....make it....?” 

Voiced swarmed in his head, his ears straining to make out the sentences. Why was he so focused on surrounding dialogue when all he could feel was pain. The pain was unbearable, he could feel it everywhere. The twisting cramps in his left side, the tight, stabbing pain in his chest, it felt like he got shoved into an Iron Madden. 

Carl tried to open his eye, but the exhausting overwhelmed his body and his mind, and he couldn’t find the energy to. 

“Carl, honey, can you hear me?” 

Yes... he can. He wanted to reach out, to say something, anything. He couldn’t even recognize the voice. It was feminine. Soft. Worried.

How did he get here? He remembers Daryl helping him, where had he taken him? Carl had blacked out for a moment, apparently. Suddenly he felt a weight in his hand. 

“Just hold on. Hold on a little longer.” 

Carl mustered up enough willpower and managed to push out a light groan. A few of his fingers curled around what was in his hand- someone else’s hand. 

“Carl,” a different voice spoke. It was rough, deep, shaky. Dad? Carl wanted to say something. He tried, but only ended up choking out a cough. There was still blood in his mouth, in his throat. Some of the blood spilled from his lips. 

“We need to get him out of here.” 

———————————

Enid, stop. Carl smiled, pulling the roller skates out of the suitcase. Enid turned around and wiped her eyes quickly. She grinned. 

“Will they even fit?” she asked as she made her way over to Carl. 

“Maybe,” he chuckled. He pushed a pair of skates in Enid’s direction. They were the smaller of the pair, and they actually fit quite well. Carl’s, well, they were kind of big and hung off his ankles. But, he tied them tight and wrapped the shoe laces around his ankle. 

Enid stood up, and Carl reached up and she grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet. 

“Can you even skate?” she chuckled. Carl sarcastically rolled his eyes. 

“Of course I can,” he said, cockiness filling his voice. He wasn’t about to tell the girl he liked he couldn’t do something as “simple” as roller skate. 

Enid bent down and grabbed her shoes, tying the laces together and putting them over her shoulder. Carl did the same. 

Soon they were both skating down the road. Enid was pretty far ahead, she seemed to actually know what she was doing. Carl was just trying to keep up. 

Enid was smiling big, a laugh escaping her as she turned her head to look at Carl. He had caught up quickly and was smiling back at her. 

He pushed himself towards her, trying to get closer. His ankle rolled under him and he stumbled. Enid grabbed his arm as he rolled in front of her trying not to fall. 

“You good?” she asked, chuckling. Carl nodded, and straightened himself back up. He looked down at their hands that were lightly holding on to each other. He interlaced their fingers, biting back the huge smile that wanted to spread across his face. Enid seemed shy, not looking up at him but still smiling. 

Together they skated down the street, hand in hand, smiling genuinely, for the first time in what seemed like forever. 

ENID

She was sitting on the steps of the Barrington House with her head in her hands. She was feeling hot, sticky, and humid. She adjusted the collar of her sweatshirt and sighed. She and Aaron has gotten back from Oceanside, where Enid had shot and killed Sydney’s grandma. 

It haunted her. She’d killed someone. She’d killed someone. Someone’s friend. Someone’s mother. Someone’s grandma. 

Enid thought about what she had said to Sydney, about how her grandmother got herself killed. She was angry. She partially meant it, but part of her still felt bad for saying it. If only-

“Enid!” a voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looks up, seeing Carol.  
“They’re here.”

They’re here. They’re here! Carl’s here! 

Enid hops up from her spot and her and Carol head to the front gates. But people are yelling. Shouting, even. Maggie’s opening the gates as quickly as she can, Daryl’s running in, yelling about something that Enid’s mind can’t comprehend from all the chaos. Suddenly Dr. Carson is running out, yelling at people to move. Everything’s in slow motion. 

Then she sees it. What everyone’s so worked up about; Carl. Carl in Rick’s arms, lying limp and covered in blood. It’s on his chin, down his neck, all over the front of his shirt. He looked dead. Was he...?

Enid’s breath hitches in her throat, a choked gasped slipping out at the scene unfolding before her. Her knees feel weak. A pit hollows out her stomach and her chest tightens with fear. She should’ve seen it coming. Nothing good ever lasts, especially not in this world. Especially people like Carl.

Suddenly someone’s grabbing Enid by the shoulders, trying to break her from the trances he’s in. 

“Enid,” it’s Maggie. “Enid, I need your help!”

Enid snaps her eyes back to her. She’s got tears in her eyes as the older brunette grabs her hand and starts pulling her away. 

“I’m gonna need your help, are you up for it?” 

Everything’s happening so quickly at once. It’s like in the blink of an eye they went from the gates to the infirmary trailer. Maggie and Dr. Carson and some younger man Enid’s never seen before, her mind doesn’t even register, are scurrying around trying to grab things from the cabinets. Dr. Carson was unbuttoning Carl’s shirt. Carl. 

Enid looked down at him, lying on the table, eye half open but not blinking. Dr. Carson’s getting gauze and towels from Maggie, so much, and he’s pressing it to Carl’s chest.  
I’m gonna need your help.

Maggie’s words echo in her head. Her help. She needs her help. Carl needs her help. A strong, confident feeling explodes in her, and she snaps out of it. She rushed over to Maggie, asking what she can do. 

“I need you to get the IV, do you remember what goes in it?” Of course she remembered. Maggie had been teaching Enid everything she learned from her father, telling her that one day she’s gonna be the future of this place or some corny, unrealistic stuff like that and how it’s important to know this.

So, Enid sets up the IV as quick as she can, and part of her shrivels inside as she shoves the needle into Carl’s arm. He was pale. Paler than ever. His skin was hot, sticky. She reached up to feel his forehead, moved his bandage up to feel it.

“He’s burnin’ up,” she says aloud. She looked back, seeing Maggie and Dr. Carson trying to stop the bleeding. Maggie tells Enid to get the pain killers from the top cabinet. She does.

“What happened?” Maggie finally asked, placing two fingers on the side of Carl’s neck to feel his pulse. Enid’s too busy to think about who responded, but it was something along the lines of, shot, saviors, he was bleedin’ out fast.

Enid’s gets the pain medicine and puts it in a syringe. She grabs the IV line and injects the medicine. Carl lets out a soft groan. Enid takes a moment to look at him. His eye is cloudy, he mind was somewhere else, she could tell. His hair was wet and matted to his face and neck. She could see the bones in his neck, jaw, and collarbone. Was he really that thin, or was it just the physical trauma?

Suddenly he moves. It’s not much, but it’s a reaction. And it doesn’t seem to be good. He lets out a soft cry, and Enid looks to see what Maggie and Dr. Carson are doing. Maggie’s saying something about the bullet. It’s in his lung. And as if in cue, Carl starts to choke. 

“He can’t breathe,” Dr. Carson states, gripping the scalpel in his hand tighter. Maggie’s trying to clean up some of the blood to see better, and she says, “Enid, get the scalpel and tube.” 

She knew what that meant. Not only had she seen it in movies as a child, but Maggie had been making sure she learned how to do it- when a patient can’t breathe, and someone has to stab their chest to create an airway. God, she’d only practiced on a fucking grapefruit, how was she supposed to do this to someone? 

Suddenly that confident stride she had was sucked out of her, leaving her with that anxious feeling again. 

“Enid!”

Right, fuck, Enid thought. Carl’s struggling to breathe and she’s over here caught up in her thoughts to help him. So, she gets the tube and puts her finger on his neck, trailing it down until she reached the right spot on his very upper chest. 

C’mon. You can do this. 

You can!

You have to.

Enid sucks in a tight breath, raises the tube and brings it right down into his chest. Carl gasps, taking in the fresh oxygen into his lungs. It worked. It worked! She did it. Enid let out an exhale and cups her hands around Carl’s face. 

You’re gonna be okay. You have to be.


End file.
